


The Sun and the Sea

by Kanta



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Angst, Armin Arlert - Freeform, Awkward Boners, Bottom Eren Yeager, Eren Yeager Has Heterochromia Iridum, Eventual Smut, Friends to Lovers, Guns, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Male/Male, Minor Character Death, Murder, POV First Person, This is all a metaphor, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), back in the old days, ereri, leaving the nest, riren - Freeform, the rating will go up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-03-21 19:52:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3703475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanta/pseuds/Kanta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My mother once told me that if I left the farm, a horrible monster would catch me right away, before the scorching sun could kiss my skin red, or the lack of moisture on my tongue could wilt me away.</p><p>Though, one day I did leave the farm. And I did it again and again.. until the thought of these beasts was just a mere whisper at the back of my brain.</p><p>I went out to visit a man, one who caught my curiosity from the start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beasts

My mother once told me that if I left the farm, a horrible monster would catch me right away, before the scorching sun could kiss my skin red, or the lack of moisture on my tongue could wilt me away. She would tell me tales of a hideous beasts, that really were not too hideous- from what she described the beast was human, completely and fully right. Though the beasts were disguised, they dwelled in the human world, and there were plenty of them.. all ravishing in others pain.. mauling those who were not the same. As a child, the thought was rather scary, I never wanted to be hurt because I stepped off of our farm. So I followed the rule safely, I never once left the perimeter of our farm, never went into the forest to see what was on the other side, the story dimmed my curiosity.

Though on a particularly hot day, my curiosity struck through me greater than it ever had before.

It was strange, I had just been running my rusty hoe through the dirt, trying to get the clumps of dry dirt at least somewhat broken up, so that it would blend well with the fertilizer, when my gaze flicked over to the thicket of trees. The humid air blew through the the green leaves, making the forest seem just so interesting.

I was fifteen, and somewhere in my mind I was starting to not believe my mother’s story about the beasts.. I had tried going off the property plenty of times. I stepped into the small creek just a step off of our acre farm, and nothing came to get me, other than a fish that had lost its way in the water. I ran a couple metres off of the property just a few months ago and I sat there, like a hen on her nest, just waiting for some beast to show up. None did of course, and when I confronted mother about this she whacked me over the bottom with her wooden spoon and told me to never leave the property or she’d call for a beast. That scared me off until now, where I stood with the dirty hoe in my hand, my gaze piercing the forest.

Mother couldn’t call for a beast if she did not know that I left the property.. she couldn’t possibly alert one in time anyways. She was across the field, picking away the weeds that had overgrown there. I would have pitied her, since the job was quite a boring one, though she always said it was her favourite. So the pity disappeared. Though, on the other hand, father was in the middle of the distance of mother and I, so he could see myself more clearly if he were to look up. But, he seemed rather focused on planting those tomato seeds, so I didn’t worry too much of it. They’d both think that I took a washroom break, rather than assuming I ran off of the property.

So I dropped the hoe onto the ground, picked a graze of grass and pinched it between my lips. The taste of grass would keep my mind off of the possibility a beast could get me. My gaze went to the sky, the sun was dead in the middle of the blue overspace, so it was noon, almost lunch time. I’d have enough time to sneak a glance at what was over there.. behind the thicket of trees.. before mother had our lunch all made up and she was ringing the bell for the meal. She still had to get inside, wash up, and start cooking. It would definitely be enough time, no doubt about it.

Before I could get clammy hands, or someone would call out for me, I grabbed the tip of my straw hat and I began sprinting over to the forest. My eyes scanned the area, no beasts, no bears or squirrels or any other creature. I was good, and I’d be fine. I felt the warm breeze hit my face as I dashed into the thicket of trees, passing several old ones without a second glance. It might’ve been from how hard I was running or how nervous or exhilarating the situation made me, but my heart was pounding hard in my chest. It had me worried- could the beasts hear my heart and how loud it was? Though it was no matter- I was the farthest away from my farm I had ever been in my whole life and that just made my chest swell with pride. I had stopped running a couple metres back, and I began to just walk so I wouldn’t wear myself out.

I could survive the trip out, I had my straw hat to keep away the sun, and that piece of grass… well I might have inhaled that when I was running because it was gone. Ah, well..

My sense of direction was disoriented by the trees, that were taking my vision of the sky and sun from me, so I just kept on walking forwards, over fallen logs and mossy rocks. It was an adventure, I saw it as one. Wandering out into beast territory. I had to be careful.. if I saw one, I’d turn back right away. Mother wouldn’t appreciate it if I died out in the woods, she’d never be able to find me. So that was not an option.

It took some time for my shoulders to become less tense, for my whistling to fill the air along with the chirps of birds. Maybe it was ten minutes when I became comfortable, though my comfort only lasted about five minutes or so. Because the forest suddenly came to an end, just abruptly as I jumped over a moss covered rock. All the trees stopped and revealed a neighbouring farm it appeared, though it looked smaller than my own.

A small gasp sounded from my parted lips and I quickly climbed back over the rock, only allowing my head to peep out to get a nice look. The field looked empty.. as if no one really lived there. And I believed that for a few moments before my eyes settled on a figure in the distance. It was a man, it appeared, who was wearing nothing but a pair of pants- and sandals I assumed. That must have been a beast.. no human with self respect would show that much skin, would they? Father never showed his chest, neither did mother nor I. Was that a respectful human being,.. or was it really some sort of beast?

Though.. no beast could move so smoothly, could they? No beast could hoe the dirt with as much precision as that man could, or have such defined muscles that I could see their power from where I stood ducked behind the large rock. So he must be man, and man was never a danger, correct? Maybe I could go say hello.. the only other interaction with a person was with father or mother.. but as if fate had condemned me, I heard the faint dinging of a bell that reminded me mother had made lunch and just finished doing so. And that was not good, I would be late for the meal and mother and father would not be pleased.

I gave a final glance to the man before I gripped my straw hat and began running through the forest, trying to make my way home as quickly as possible. Maybe I’d visit again.. yes I’d definitely think about it. But, the task I had to worry about was arriving home without being caught. I didn’t want mother hitting with her wooden spoon.. or have father lash out at me. It was never pleasant.

I was ten minutes late to lunch, all the food had been eaten and I received no pity from mother when my stomach growled in protest. “You shouldn’t have been late to lunch- the bell is loud enough to alert you,”

“Yes mother but I was using the washroom,” Mother clicked her tongue as she pinched my ear tightly between her index finger and thumb. She was a beautiful woman, her face was soft and loving- though when she was angered she was like a bear; very frightening.

“Now, Eren, what did I say about lying?” I winced a bit as my hat fell onto the floor, her fingers pinching the circulation out of my ear. Whenever she did this I knew to just give into her, she would not stop until I was on my knees and sobbing what happened out to her. It was tough love I assumed. “Not to do it- ah mother please it hurts, I’m sorry!”

“Then tell me what happened, why were you late?” I could not lie to her.. She would always know.. and it was absolutely awful. My ears would give me away, with how red the tips would become if I told a lie.. I’d have to just twist the truth, before mother twisted my ear off. “I was exploring mother, and I got carried away,”

“Exploring where?” I could feel my knees becoming weak. She was a small woman but her strength was nothing to overlook. “I was-”

To my luck, father walked into the kitchen, his own hat resting over his head. He was more lenient, you could say. Though he made sure I kept to the rule of staying inside the property.. though he would not go to the extent of almost ripping my ear off like mother would, she was a dear.. and I loved her but maybe her aggression was a bit too much. “Carla, dear, you’re going to twist the poor boys ear right off his head,” The thought seemed to scare mother because she gasped and let go of my ear right away. “Oh my.. we wouldn’t want that now would we..,” She murmured then shook her head. “Go sit at the table Eren, I’ll get you some watermelon,”

My brows narrowed slightly as I rubbed my poor abused ear, though I did follow mothers orders as I walked to the table, silently sitting down on one of the wooden chairs. When father sat across from me, his small smile cheered me up. “I’m going into town tomorrow, is there anything you would like?” My grin grew faster than the weeds in our fields did.

“Oh, yes.. Could you buy me an eyepatch father?” The look he gave me seemed to reek of confusion. “Now.. why would you want one of those?”

“Because you and mother always talk about how strange my eyes are, how eyes are supposed to be the same identical colour, not two different ones... so if I cover one up wouldn’t that be better?” Father paused as he observed me, it was that type of look that made the hairs at the back of my neck stick up, though I didn’t know why. “Very well, an eyepatch it is. Anything else you would like?”  
  
“No father, that would be it,” I smiled warily as mother placed half a watermelon in front of my with a spoon, telling me to “Be careful and do not make a mess! I just cleaned up the table,”

I did end up spilling a bit, but I wiped it up with my shirt.

The next day, I knelt in front of the window in my room, my chin resting against the wooden windowsill as I watched mother kiss father goodbye. Only father was allowed to go to town, I was never allowed since I had to stay back and take care of the farm and mother.. and be the man of the house while father was gone. Though, he always brought something back for mother and I. So that was what I had to gain from the situation.

After father came back two days later with all the supplies we needed for the month, my curiosity found me again. But I fought it off for a week. But it returned on the seventh day.

I was wearing the eyepatch father had gotten me, and it was such a bother at first. My vision was half blocked and it was hard to focus and do my chores, but after a few days I got used to it. The plus was, when our lanterns all burnt out and father couldn’t see enough to replace them, I had my left eye used to the dark so I easily fetched new lanterns from our storage unit. It was useful in a way to wear the eyepatch.

Also, it was useful for when I woke up in the middle of the night, and I got curious again. I wanted to go explore again. My hands reached for the eyepatch that was sitting on the wooden table beside my bed, and I tied it around my head, covering my left eye; the golden one. I then climbed out of bed, grabbing the bow and sheath of arrows that rested against my bed. They’d be my protection if I ran into anything.. I slung the sheath of arrows over my shoulder, my breath held in my chest as I tip toed out of my room and down the hall. If I was caught.. I’d be locked into my room every night.. and that would be such a pain. So I kept quietly walking down the hall, until I walked through the front door with my shoes in my hands and a burlap bag slung over my other shoulder. On the wooden porch step, I let out the breath I had been holding in, and I tied on my shoes. I wouldn’t be out long, just long enough to see if beasts only came out at night.. maybe that’s why I got home safe during the day.

I jogged through the grass, over to the thicket of trees I entered one time before. I was quite nervous, but I needed to see if the monsters existed. And apparently they did not, because I climbed on top of that large rock I hide behind last time, and I hadn’t run into anything dangerous. Just a rabbit and a couple squirrels- I managed to shoot two squirrels and the rabbit with my bow as I walked through the forest. The dead animals sat in my burlap bag, the one I brought just in case I found some interesting things. There was a patch of glowing moss on a tree I passed plenty of minutes ago, but I didn’t deem it worthy enough to store in my bag.

A nice breeze blew through my hair, the night sure was cool- compared to the day time temperature, but it was nice. Without my hat on my head, I had the chance to feel the breeze, and I really enjoyed it.

Mother and father would ask be about the squirrels and rabbit I shot.. they’d probably wonder when I got them.. I’d just say I found them scurrying passed me, which was not a lie. It was as if they were running from something, something I hadn’t encountered.

The burlap sack sat on the rock next to me and I just glanced at the wooden house in front of the rows of field. There was a flickering light that came from the window of what could be the living room.. or maybe the bedroom.... and it had me wondering how other people lived. Was it the same as mother, father and I? That thought had me picking up my bow and sack, and had me scurrying across the field, hoping I would not be seen.

And I actually was not caught, I managed to run all the way over to the windowsill, the one the was glowing because of the lantern inside. My knees dug into the grass as i ducked out of sight, only occasionally glancing into the home. Even from the outside I could smell remnants of the man’s dinner.. I could hear soft snores right next to the windowsill, which had me to believe the window was opened a smidge.

I wondered if the man had a family, no one else seemed to be working in the field when I first discovered the place maybe two weeks ago. Maybe he was living alone- an outcast maybe?

When the snoring let up and the lantern's light grew brighter, I quickly gathered my stuff and began to scurry away from the house and through the fields, feeling eyes on my back the whole time. When I glanced over my shoulder as I was about to climb over the rock, I saw the man standing outside, holding up the lantern and just looking at me. He never approached, just observed. And that sent chills down my spine, and sent my flying home as quickly as I could run.

The next morning I awoke to mother shaking me awake, which lead me to believe she found the animals I shot last night. "Eren, dear, when on earth did you shoot these squirrels and rabbit?" Her voice didn't sound accusing, but in my groggy state it was just bothersome. "Yesterday mother.. They just scurried by me so I shot 'em," I murmured then rolled over onto my side, the sheets up to my chin.

"And you never told your father nor I?"

"You were busy and I didn't want to disturb either of you..," I could feel her eyes observing me as I spoke in a mumble, and I suppose she believed me because mother hummed softly in response and made for the door. "Well, we'll prepare them for lunch I suppose. So you mustn't be late,"

"Yes mother..,"

"Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes, so I suggest you get out off bed and go feed the chicken,"

"Yes mother..," A soft sigh passed my parted lips as I sat up in bed. I hardly got any sleep last night, I was afraid that the man would have come over to our farm to tell mother and father that I trespassed onto his property.. That would lead to a good lashing from mothers wooden spoon.

I was sure the man saw me, of course, he looked straight at me, we could have possibly made eye contact. Maybe he didn't mind that I went over there.. Because I stayed up most of the night waiting to hear a knock on the door, though one never came. It made my shoulders relax and my breathing become easy.

My eyepatch was tied around my head as I got out of bed. I had to feed the chicken and clean my arrows.. I never thought to do so last night, which was a bother. "Mother where is the chicken feed?" I asked after I walked downstairs in a pair of worn out slacks and a shirt that had plenty of stains. They were not in the best condition obviously, but I found that the grass stains on the knees and dirt smudges around the chest made the clothes have character, originality I supposed. I explained this to father once when he brought home several new pairs of slacks and overalls, but he just shook his head and said I mustn't have originality, that the beasts would come and take me away because of it. So I took the new clothes and wore them right away. Though.. They became dirty very quickly. So they had character again, which I enjoyed. "It's where it regularly is Eren,"

"Alright," I slipped on my shoes and kissed mothers cheek before I slipped out of the house and to the coop next to our red barn. We didn't have any animals other than chicken, because it would be too much work for just three people, so the barn served no use other than it stored all the hay- that we didn't use either.. And the bags of chicken feed.

I slung one heavy bag over my shoulder with a soft grunt and I adjusted my straw hat that almost fell off my head. "You're a heavy one..," I murmured to myself as I walked out of the barn and into the coop. The bag of chicken feed made home on the floor for a few minutes while I took out my pocket knife and slit the top of the bag, then kicked it over. All the chickens came flocking to the seeds, some pecking at my shoes in their rush. They were hilarious creatures honestly.

I whistled a soft tune as I grabbed the basket mother weaved many years ago, and began to collect the eggs each chicken laid. Mother didn't tell me to do this but I figured that I'd rather do it now than later when she was prissy about it.

She seemed to appreciate it, because a soft smile came upon her face as I set the basket on the kitchen table. "Oh Eren, you're such a thoughtful boy," I would be lying if I said my chest didn't swell with pride.

Mother made a few boiled eggs for breakfast along with berries and ham, it was a delicious breakfast; though it was as such every day, mother was just gifted in the kitchen I suppose.

“Father, are there any farms around ours?” I asked over a forkful of fruit, receiving a pointed look from mother because of if. “No, of course not Eren. What would make you think that?” Well.. I saw one with my own eyes for starters. “Because, I was wondering, from what you say.. we’re the only non- beasts alive, there aren’t any humans around anymore?” The grim look my father possessed right then just made my skin crawl, as if a spider was crawling up and down my spine.

“That’s right son, it is only us,”  
  
“Then what is in town?”  
  
“They are all beasts, that’s why you mustn’t ever come with me,”  
  
“Why do you get to go and I don’t, that isn’t fair!” I was a grown boy- a man really, it wasn’t like those beasts really existed! My own father took me as a fool!

Strong hands slammed down onto the table, making my mountain of strawberries tumble over. Father had stood up, his eyes blazing a fire that reminded me of the time it got so dry that our wheat started to flame. “It is fair, son! You will never leave the farm, I forbid it!” His voice held more anger and warning than I had ever heard within it before.. father was always so kind and never yelled.. but this.. it made me so mad. I felt like a head of corn trapped inside the corn stalk.. I was cradled into this closed space and it made me sick, the words made me sick. But father was always right.. he really was and I could not doubt him.

Though, my dream had become apparent to me in that moment; I wanted to see the outside world. The world beyond my farm- I needed to know what it was like to feel free. It was my birthright, I knew it. “One day father, one day I will go past the farm, and you’ll see that I can take care of myself,”

Those words made father’s eyebrows pull together as he grimaced. “Go get to work boy, leave your breakfast as it is and go work in the fields until sundown,” I sighed softly when father said that. What a cruel punishment.. I grabbed my straw hat and a sack that held some cool water, and I began walking outside into the heat. Even in the early morning the sun rays were strong, good thing my hat protected me though. The water supply I had would run out quickly, and it did. Twenty minutes after the lunch bell dung for father, the last drop fell onto my dry tongue.

When sundown finally came, I was exhausted. I trudged into the house and ate up my dinner, receiving a pitiful look from mother. “Go wash up Eren,” And I did without complaint. I let the soapy water drip over my legs as I squeezed the sponge, the bath was relaxing though.. which was a relief.

Once I was allowed to go to bed, I did right away, though I woke up early in the morning with a yearning to see that man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit of a slow start- at least I think. Though Levi and Eren should interact next chapter.
> 
> My tumblr is: the-kanta


	2. The Death of a Young Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really didn't expect anyone to enjoy this story all too much, I suppose I was wrong! Thanks for all of the positive feedback, here's chapter two <3  
> And if anyone was confused and didn't read the tags- the setting is back in the olden days where electricity was not a thing. That would be my own personal hell haha.

My exhaustion from the previous day kept me in bed when all I wanted to do was walk through that forest and explore again.. to see if maybe that man woke up early to do his work since it was less humid in the morning. I just stayed laying in bed, my gaze on the ceiling as I waited for the cock to wake up my parents. The animal never usually woke me up, so it was always mother’s job to get me out of bed. It would be a surprise to her to see I went to the kitchen before she got me out of bed.

Once I heard the awfully loud sound the cock made, I sat up then climbed out of bed. I quickly changed as I usually did, and tied on the eyepatch, then I trudged my way to the kitchen. Mother and father were talking, I could hear that. Though.. I heard them mention me so I stood behind the door to the kitchen and I listened in. “They’re coming today-oh darling what are we to do.. ,”

Mother sounded like she was crying, which was very odd because I had never before heard her cry. She was a very strong woman, but even the strongest of people have their moments, I suppose. “We’ll just hide him away in the cellar, Carla, like we always do. We needn’t worry,” A soft sob broke from my mother's throat, it was like a small whimper that I barely even heard. “Oh dear.. I do hope you’re right. If they took my baby boy away.. I couldn’t live,” Were they talking about me? Now who would want to take me away.. the beasts? But the beasts were not logical, they would never find me here.. especially not today, I was not planning on leaving our land.. Oh but mother sounded so worried.. and the cellar.. I only visited there once every year to clean it.. Was father talking about that?

“Eren will be safe,” Fathers voice sounded so final.

I waited several minutes before I walked into the kitchen, acting as though I never heard that confusing conversation. “Good morning mother, father,” I greeted them with a small smile, ignoring the redness that tinted mothers eyes and nose. She had indeed been crying.. “Oh Eren, my baby boy, you’re up early,” Mother rushed over to me and she cupped my face in her hands, making me look her straight in her eyes. She kissed both of my cheeks then my forehead and nose, then she scurried away to set some food on the kitchen table. “Here, have your breakfast then feed the chickens. Come back inside straight away afterwards,”

My head was spinning from how quickly she was moving and talking, she seemed so jittery and nervous and I was catching onto it. My foot tapped against the floor as I ate quickly, and I whistled a nervous tune as I fed the chicks. My parent’s conversation was getting to me.. were the beasts really coming? If so.. How come mother and father were not in danger? I couldn’t even ask because they never knew I heard the conversation.. damn. “You’ll be cleaning the cellar again today, boy. So grab all of the supplies and go, be quiet about it,” Father told me as I walked back inside the house. I couldn’t say no.. so I grabbed everything I needed with a short nod and I headed out to the cellar that was hidden under a few bushes at the back of the house. I opened the cellar doors with the key around my next, then I climbed down into the dark space, setting all the cleaning materials down on the floor. With the match I made sure the grab, I lit up the lantern inside of the cell, then I closed the opened doors and locked them behind me. It was a precaution father always had me make.

The cellar was dim with the flickering light of the lantern. It really wasn’t all that dirty.. just a bit of dust. This was our storm cellar, just in case a twister came around- we’d all hide in here. So far, we only had to once, and that was a pretty bad summer. The twister came in out of the blue and destroyed all of our crops.. which were just about ready to be harvested. We lacked any vegetables and fruit for a very long time after that.

I spent all day down there, on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors, then the walls and every surface I could reach. After I was done, I sat on a crate that held our wine, and I let out a soft breath. It was so stuffy inside the cellar.. I could see no sunlight.. it made me feel so sick. But I had to bare with it until father came to get me.

It felt like I was in there forever, I had a yearning.. the yearning was so strong.. I wanted to go through that forest again.. I wanted to climb the trees and hunt the animals. I wanted to go see that man.. the one who worked so hard yet made it seem effortless. How was it even possible.. I would never know. But that man, he definitely had my interest. I wanted to know more about him.. maybe I could ask him about the world outside of our farms.. perhaps he had stories to tell.. oh how I wished to hear those stories..

“Eren, you can come inside now. It’s dinner,” I smiled in relief when father opened the cellar door. I nodded shortly, blew out the lantern, then collected everything I brought into the cellar, then I climbed out. The fresh air hit my face and I let out an elated sigh. Oh how I missed the fresh air.. even after it being only several hours.

We had a large dinner that night, and after we were all finished mother ordered me to get to bed. I nodded to her then kissed them both goodnight. I then walked over to my room and I changed into my night clothes.

That night I slept perfectly well, but I awoke a few hours before sunrise again.

It was like my brain just scheduled a new sleeping plan, since I seemed to awake at around the same time as yesterday. Though.. I’d actually go out this time. I changed into my clothes, tied on the eyepatch and grabbed the burlap bag, along with my bow and quiver. I then walked quietly out of the house.

Once I was a good distance away from the house, I started to whistle softly to myself. The morning air was nice and fresh, not warm and dry like the air was during the day. It indeed was a nice change.

By the time I got to that same rock, I had shot just three squirrels and found a bunch of mint leaves, which were nice to munch on.

I peeked my head over the top of the rock, my gaze on the farmer man who was, even at that early hour, working on his field. He was alone again, no one was there to help plant the seeds or water them. It was astonishing, how much work the man got done though. In the short span of two weeks- since the first time I laid my eyes on him - the whole field was prepared and fertilized, almost all of it was covered in various of seeds. His work seemed neat, I noticed he sectioned off square areas for specific plants, taking into account that one needed more sunlight than another, so he’d put the plant where sunlight shone the most.  It was a tactic that my parents only started to use just this season.

My gaze stretched over the large property, then to the man again, whose shirt was off as it always seemed to be. I found myself wondering how many logs of wood those muscles could lift, for use in the winter, or maybe he could lift up a cow..-maybe he was a beast. No human could really have such strength.. though I was just wondering these things.

The man seemed to stop what he was doing as a breeze started to pick up, making the trees around me rustle noisily. The air was rather warm, the wind just as hot, but it was nice, the man seemed to think so too since he closed his eyes and let the breeze blow through his hair. The black strands were styled strangely.. the bottom of it near his neck was cut very short, most likely shaven.. It was unlike my fathers- whose hair was quite long - nor like mine, which was just short and very messy. Not even a splash of water on top of my head could make my hair stick down, mother said it was very handsome though. So I suppose it wasn’t too bad.

I hummed softly to myself as I took off my hat, sat down behind the rock, and grabbed a loaf of bread I stuffed into my burlap sack. It was just a small snack, since I knew I’d get hungry. My stomach was just never satisfied, it always seemed to growl like a pouting bear.

I nibbled on the bread as I glanced into the dark forest. It was a good thing my one eye was very used to the dark, otherwise I’d have to bring a lantern- and that would just get me caught. And I couldn’t get caught, I didn’t want to feel mothers wooden spoon slapping across my bottom again.. ah it really did hurt to be whacked.. she held no mercy.

A soft sigh passed my parted lips before I smiled a bit. It was just relaxing sitting there at the edge of the forest, the sound of the birds and a stream nearby filling up my ears. If father allowed it.. I would definitely want to sleep outside, all the sounds of nature were beautiful.. oh and the stars overhead.. they were magnificent. They were all free, it seemed. The stars weren’t stuck on that farm.. they were not prisoners to their parents since it was ‘dangerous’ outside of our property. I was outside right then, and no beast caught me. It was all ludicrous!

“Oi,”

My gaze lifted up when I heard a low rumble- a voice perhaps? The half eaten loaf of bread was pinched between my teeth as my chin tilted up towards the skin and I glanced directly up. I quickly pulled my eyepatch back after my golden coloured eye as I saw the man, standing there, leaning against the moss of the rock.. His face held nothing I could read.. it was a very frightening sight. My eyes widened a bit and I spat out the bread, my hands fumbling for my bow and quiver of arrows. They were knocked over, so I just grabbed the bow and loaded it with an arrow quickly as I stood up. That man could have been a beast, could he not? So it was not inhumane to point my arrow at him and pull the string back, just waiting for the man- or beast - to make any sudden movements.

My heart was thumping loudly in my chest as I gazed at the other with my one eye. He seemed somewhat startled to have an arrow pointed at his chest, his hands raising up to his ears in what seemed like surrender. “Who are you?” I demanded, seeming to forget that it was I that had trespassed onto his land.

A thin brow raised up the man's forehead as my eye squinted in observation. He looked human.. though he very well could be disguised. “You are on my land,” Came the slow response from the man as his hands lowered to his sides. “Now, why don’t you lower your weapon and tell me exactly why you are here,” Something in his voice, I didn’t know what it was, made me want to lower my bow, so I did. I placed the arrow back into its quiver, though I still narrowed my eye to the man.

“Are you a beast?” I hadn’t answered his question, partially because I didn’t know the reason myself, so I just asked what I had been wondering. For some reason, the questioned seemed to be funny for the man, because he chuckled lowly under his breath. “A beast? Well, do I look like one?”  
  
“Mother says that beasts disguise themselves as humans. Do you have a heart, sir?”

“I do in fact have one of those,” The answer was satisfying for now. “Though I have been told otherwise,” I assumed that was sarcasm, because a small smirk grew on the mans face. “Do you have a heart, kid? It isn’t rather friendly to trespass onto another man’s lot more than once, then point your bow at him. Doesn’t that sound quite rude to you?”

“It does, sir, but it’s my only means of protection. You see, my mother says that if I leave our farm, then the beasts will get me. And.. if you were a beast, I’d have to shoot you, right?”

“I suppose you do have a point. Though, I am no beast, so the next time you decide to visit my farm- refrain from pointing the bow at me,” Was that an invitation back.. it surely sounded like it. My lips twitched a little before they curled up into a small smile. “Okay sir, I will not aim at you next time I visit. Well.. if I am allowed to,”

“I’m not going to stop you,” My smiled widened a bit and I climbed on top of the rock with my weapon and bag. “Though, it is not a free invitation. If you want to trespass on my land, you shall work on my land,”  
  
“Alright sir though.. I’ll have to get back soon,”  
  
“I don’t really care,” The man really did seem indifferent.

I had no clue as to why I agreed to help the man plant the rest of his seeds.. I couldn’t fathom why I really would want to.. maybe it was because I was curious, that was definitely it. “What’s your name, sir?”  
  
“Work,” I gave the man a strange look. Who would name their child work? “Okay.. work, how long did you have this farm, when did you buy it?”  
  
“You’re an idiot, kid..,” I felt my cheeks heat up as my shoulders rose in a defensive manner, this man was so rude! Who poured him sour milk this morning, honestly..

“You didn’t even answer my question!” I exclaimed.  Work didn’t even look up from his.. work? Oh… that damn man thought he was so funny..  
  
“Did I not? Oh well, that’s quite the shame,”

I huffed out a breath and I threw the remaining seeds I had onto the ground. He really was a beast, with how rude and sarcastic he was. I walked away from the fields and I grabbed my things. I then hopped over the boulder and didn’t look back.

But.. I still had that yearning to return.. why was this..

I returned to my house and notice mother and father were awake. Ah.. damn. When I walked inside the house, they just gave me questioning looks before mother dropped the pot she was holding and stormed over to me. “Eren Jaeger, now where the hell were you so early in the morning!?” She pinched the lobe of my ear harshly, which had me wincing and dropping my things.

“Ah,  mother! I was out practicing my shooting!” It was technically not a lie. “I got three squirrels, they’re in my back, ah please stop!”

“Honestly, you did not even think to tell your father nor I before going out? I swear to the heavens, one day you'll get your overly due punishment, young man!” Mother huffed out a breath then let go of my ear and went back to making breakfast. My poor abused ear..

It was later that day when there was a knock at the door, and since mother and father were outside, I decided to open it up, despite what they had said about never opening the door myself. “Hello?”

Mother said we lived in an isolated area.. That we were the only humans.. And yet as I looked into those cornflower blue eyes.. The innocence inside of them had to be human. "Oh thank the Lord," My eyebrows raised slightly as the blonde breathed out those words as if my presence was a relief to him.

"Uh.. Why are you here?" My question was answer silently as I glanced down and saw the blond was leaning most of his weight on one leg… the other leg was all red.. the pant leg with ripped and dripping in crimson.. “Oh God.. here let me help you inside I’ll wrap it up,”

I was breaking so many of mothers and fathers rules.. I opened the door and invited a stranger inside our home.. a stranger that could very well be a beast. “Are you a beast?”  
  
The blond took a short breath then shook his head. “Not a beast.. I come from a few miles down, I was out hunting with.. with my uncle then a bear- oh the bear…,” His voice was shameful and full of despair, it had me pitying him. What an unfortunate situation, he must have been attack by a bear.

I glanced over my shoulder then quickly pulled the blond into my arms, it was the easiest way. He was very light though, which wasn’t exactly odd I suppose. “Did your uncle..?” I mumbled as I quickly walked inside with him in my arms. “He’s.. gone,”  
  
“My condolences, then,” I set the blond down onto the kitchen table and I quickly got our medical supplies.  “What’s your name?” The question was honestly just to distract him as I cut off the pant leg to reveal a nice bloodied bite mark- it was quite gross.

“Armin Arlert.. and yours?” There were tears in those cornflower blue eyes that just made me want to protect him.. the poor boy.. he seemed my age though. “Eren Jaeger,”

I let the conversation drop as I attended to the wound, cleaning it up then wrapping it so the bleeding would stop. Armin whimpered in pain a few times, and when I offered some soup he declined saying that he was very nauseous. “Well, you should sleep then,”  
  
“Oh I mustn’t! I’d be a bother.. you’ve already done enough for me,” There was distress in his eyes, that made me shake my head rather quickly. “No, I couldn’t make you leave while you’re injured. You’ll sleep and I’ll take care of you- have you any family?”  
  
“Just my uncle,”  
  
“Then you’ll stay here,”

“That’s very kind but I shouldn’t..,” I gave the boy a pointed look, one mother always gave me, and he finally gave in. “If it wouldn’t be a bother… then I suppose,” I smiled a little and nodded. I then helped him over to my room, where he’d just rest up for now since we had no extra rooms.

I did not leave the room until Armin was sleeping, and when I did I quickly went out to the fields to work for the last hour or so of daylight. Maybe a half hour passed when I heard a gunshot, and my blood ran cold. The sound had come from the house..

Without even a moments hesitation, I dropped my spade fork and I quickly ran to the house, my eyes moistening from the sting of the wind. What even happened.. why was there a gunshot? Please, oh please let mother and father be alright.. were the beasts here?  
  
My breath got caught in my throat as my hat flew off my head, my speed not slowing down. The beasts were here. Who else would have shot that gun?

I figured out exactly who would release a gun shell inside of my home when I walked into my room.

There.. I saw mother and father folding a blanket over Armin, who had blood leaking from his head. They shot him, but why? “Mother.. father.. was he a beast?” My voice sounded pained, I had just witnessed the death of someone so young..

“Yes. He definitely was, son,” Father’s voice was so grim.. though the news of Armin being a beast made the pain in my throat go away. Beasts deserved to die. So I did not care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P Armin...
> 
> Hit me up on tumblr: the-kanta


	3. The Eye-Opening Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up with chapter names takes more time than writing the actual chapter..

I gazed stoically at the body of Armin as we burnt him in the back, far away from our home and the fields. The smell was awful, but the fact that he tricked me made the smell worth watching his body burn into ashes. I had let a beast into our home, good thing father pulled out the gun and ended him before he ended any of us. I might have been questioning my parents about their stories about the beasts before.. but I believed them then.

Though I still wanted to explore, despite the risks. And I wanted to see  that man again- I’d just call him work, since he decided it was all so funny to tell me that was his name - I wanted to ask him questions, maybe to see if he was a beast himself. “Mother?”  
  
“Hm?” Her eyes were lit up by the fire, though she looked saddened. “How do I tell if someone is a beast, just in case there is a knock on the door again..,”

“You do not tell.. you do not let your guard down my boy, if someone other than your father or I steps into the house, they must be destroyed. They are all beasts, and we mustn’t risk your safety,”

“But why only me, what is so wrong with me that all these beasts think I’m so awful?”

“You are different, Eren, you are not the same as the rest,”

What frustrated me was that I had no clue as to what made me different.. was it my eyes? How one was a golden yellow while the other a green like bright shreds of grass.. or even the ocean. Yes.. mother said my right eye, the green one, looked like the sea. “I cover up my eye mother, isn’t that enough?”  
  
“It is not. End of discussion,” And just like that, mother refused to answer any more of my questions. That was probably the main reason why I ventured out into the forest the next morning despite what I thought about that very rude man. With rudeness came arrogance.. and arrogant people- beasts - knew plenty about the world. Wasn’t that how it worked?

So as I climbed over on top of the rock, my shoes almost slipping over the moss, I did not dare point my bow at 'work', for he had warned me not to.

It did not take him time to tilt his head over towards my direction and notice my stance on top of the rock. He shook his head slowly then gestured me over with his free hand. Without much hesitation, I jumped off of the rock, set my things upon it, then walked over to the field where work was working. "Why do you not wear a shirt?"

My question was rather random, but my curiosity had always gotten the best of me. Why show your chest when such a thing was disgraceful? "Why must you bother with such a trivial thing, kid? It will be hot, so I am not wearing something that will make me sweat more than necessary,"

"Yes but it is very disgraceful to present yourself bare to the open eye..," I had no clue as to why that seemed so funny, why was the man snickering to himself as he weeded his fields.."You really are something interesting. Where did you get all of these idiotic ideas? Your parents?"

"Well, yes of course. They know so much about what's truly right, unlike those beasts who are distasteful for no reason! All I am suggesting is that you put your shirt on because it's distracting,"

Work raised his thin brow as I smirk played on his lips, he seemed very amused which was making me mad. "Is it now? Well maybe you should keep inside your trousers, I'm not putting a shirt on,"

"What in the hell do you even mean? I am in my trousers! Unlike you, I bet you'd disgrace yourself even more by taking off your trousers just to spite me,"

"Perhaps I will, would it make you shut up?"

"It definitely will not, you beast!" When I shouted that, work stopped what he was doing, the muscles in his shoulders and back tensing up noticeably. Had I finally gotten to him? His face was disgusted, though, when he finally tilted his head to glare sharply at me.

"Don't you even suggest that I am like those creatures. You and your bigoted family are more like beasts rather than I. So shut your damn mouth, kid," I swallowed thickly and nodded shortly. His voice was so low in warning.. He was aggravated and very intimidating, with how he looked at me. As if he could swallow me whole or step on me like an ant. "Yes sir,"

"Good. Now help weed,"

Maybe ten minutes passed, I was on my hands and knees, grunting every now and then as I picked the weeds. My pants were soiled from the dirt and the palm of my hands were black and dirty. I hadn't spoke since work told me to start weeding.. "Work?"

"That's not my real name, idiot,"

"I know but you have yet to tell me yours so I will call you work. Unless you want to tell me your real name?" The man only grunted in response so I sighed. I suppose not.. "Is it right to burn someone for being a beast?"

Work's eyebrows lowered as he clicked his tongue in distaste. "It depends. How do you really know they are a beast? You must know before you condemn them,"

"Mother says that everyone other than her, father, and I are beasts. So we must get rid of anyone else who steps under out roof,"

"That's blasphemy. Your parents haven't a clue..," Work's gaze shifted over to me once again, though I could tell he was looking at my white eye patch that covered my left eye. "Got attacked by an animal?"

My head tilted to the side a little as I thought about his question. "What do you mean?"

"You're wearing a patch on your eye. What happened to it?"

"Oh uhm.. It's nothing. I just wear it so one eye is used to the dark, it helps when I go exploring," It really wasn't a lie.. But it was not the whole truth.

The man only offered a soft hum in response before we both got back to work. I didn't know if he believed me or not, but I was thinking the latter.

After a hour or so passed I stood up and dusted my hands off onto my trousers. Damn I was all dirty. “Well, work, I’ll have to go now. Can I come back again?”  
  
“Do whatever the hell you please,” I nodded with a soft smile, then I quickly scurried off to the rock. I grabbed all of my things I left on the moss, then I began on my trek home. Mother and father should not be awake for another half hour.

It gave me enough time to get home, put my bow and arrows under my bed along with the burlap sack, and change into fresh clothes once more.

I walked down to the kitchen once mother and father were up and I rubbed my right eye a bit. I had definitely not been getting enough sleep. But that was alright. “Mother? What did father do with the kids ashes?”  
  
“He poured them in the stream just outside our acre,”  
  
“Oh. Alright,” I said then went out to feed the chickens without mother having to ask.

I honestly was feeling conflicted on the inside. I knew I had to do as mother and father said, since they were always correct, right? Parents were never wrong, they always knew what was to be done. Though.. that man did have some points. Didn’t my parents sound a bit.. hypocritical for condemning a beast.. because the beast was going to condemn us, possibly? Plus.. how was Armin supposed to hurt us with his leg all mauled as it was..

That gave me the reason for why I headed over to the stream I once stepped into a long while ago, the one Armin was poured into. I walked over to that stream right after I fed the chicks, I did not need breakfast, I was hardly hungry.

Once I got the the stream, I sat down right before the grass stopped and dirt slumped down into the curve of the stream. The water was muddy, from how shallow the water really was. What I was doing there really didn’t make sense to me, but as I twisted the grass between my fingers and tugged them loose from the ground, I began to speak. “Hello, Armin… I uh, I have a few questions.. if you could possibly answer..,”  
  
The water just kept on rolling down stream and I let out a slow breath. This was just stupid wasn’t it.. though talking about it should get the stress off my shoulders.. “I never knew mother and father would shoot you, through the skull even.. that was a bit harsh wasn’t it. You were already injured enough.. were they right to do that though? Were you really a beast that just came to take me away?”  
  
No answer. I lifted the eye patch from my left eye.

“I do not understand! Neither mother or father will tell me about why I am targeted, why the beasts want to destroy me. Shouldn’t I have the right to know these things.. it is my eyes, I can only assume that. Mother and father always say how peculiar they are, but it is not my fault! I have my mother's green eyes and my fathers golden ones.. how am I supposed to prevent that? I wear a patch on my eye.. shouldn’t that not be enough? But the beasts still want me! Oh those monsters are horrible, why won’t they just mind their own damn business and let me live as I should, it’s my birthright to be able to explore!” Tears of frustration welled in my eyes so I furiously wiped them away with the backside of my hands. “What is so bad about being abnormal anyways.. I wish someone would tell me,” My voice was quiet yet full of frustration, my teeth grinding against each other.

I would get mother and father to tell me. I would, somehow, figure out why I was condemned to live a life of isolation.

During lunch, after I washed up, I sat down at the table with mother and father, and I cleared my throat. I had no clue how to start this. But I had to do it. “Why do the beasts want to get me?”  
  
“I told you before Eren, you are different,”  
  
“Yes mother, but.. why are my eyes such a problem? It’s just a little mortification.. it isn’t all that bad is it?”

“Boy, in the world we live in, differences as that are condemned. You would be exiled, or killed. We mustn’t have that happen,” Father said to me. So it definitely was my eyes. But honestly.. I covered one up!  
  
“Eren we had this conversation just the other day, do you not remember?” Mother sounded exasperated, I suppose she was tired of me asking. But, I was tired of them never telling me the details of things that involved me. Didn’t I have the right to know? “I do remember mother but you never specifically answered,”  
  
“Forget that then. Eat up and go back out and work. You’re becoming lazy again,” I huffed out a breath when mother said that and I picked up my spoon.

“I am not lazy!” She had successfully distracted me.

Perhaps three days passed after that- maybe weeks even, since the crops had budded, the leaves and stems popped out of the ground healthily. Nothing looked out of order, I had spent so long making sure all of the fields were perfect. Mother and father expected nothing less. They were strange about perfection, and how imperfection could lead to destruction.

Did that not mean that I was destined destruction of myself, or of those around me? I was not perfect, my eyes were not even the same colour for God’s sake!

I had learnt to deal with my mismatched eyes ever since I was old enough to realise their difference, but just in the past month or so, I had grown oddly obsessed with them, and how different and peculiar they were. Honestly, who would have ever expected a child with such disturbing eyes? Despite how beautiful the colours might have been, they were not matching- thus they were ugly, weren’t they?  
  
‘Work’ and my parents had a whole different perspective on being different though. When I asked mother and father, they shunned the idea of being different- said it was absurd and that if anyone had a difference, they should hide it. In fear of the beasts.

On the other hand, when I asked work as we watering his seedlings, he only hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. “It depends on which kind of different you mean- a person could have a higher pitched voice than a regular man would- that does not make them a bad human or a disgrace, just a woman. Though, if you have an extra toe, per se.. you are prosecuted for it. You call those people beasts, do you not? That is a valid name for them, the way they discriminate different people is just inhuman. It makes me sick,”

I knew that as I listened to each of his words, that work was a good person. He was not a beast as I had accused him off plenty of times. He was a human, with a soul that shone with justice. He would not condemn me for my eyes, though I would not ever show him. I wouldn’t dare lift my patch up from my eye. “You are not what I expected you’d be, work,”

“And you are not as much as an annoyance as you were when you came walking through my eyelids those first few visits of yours. You do work well,”  
  
“Yes well, mother and father work me like a dog,”

“Oh how unfortunate for you,” The sarcasm made my eyes roll.

“Hey, at least I help you occasionally. Are you really alone here?”  
  
“Yes. Indeed I am,” There was sorrow in his voice, as if the man was still mourning over something, maybe a loss perhaps? It wasn’t my business though. But I couldn’t help but to pity work. Such sorrow should not be held in one mans voice. “I.. am grateful though, for your help,”  
  
“You needn’t be. Some company other than my parents is nice, plus… breaking the rules is fun. It’s like an adventure every time I come here,” An elated smile pulled at my lips as my gaze went to the man. Seeing him, over the past while.. had been an eye opener. I had two different views of the world.. my parents, and his. Though, I still did not know whose view I should believe.

“You have such innocence, kid, I could be jealous of you,” My brows raised a little as work noticed my gaze and met it with his own, cold eyes. The steel grey looked hardened, as if.. mishaps had made them solid and cold.

“Jealous of me? No, you shouldn’t be. I am just like cattle, I am fenced in and unable to fully leave. I am jealous of you, and your freedom,” As well as his knowledge.. if I could only know as much as he did, maybe then I’d understand the world.. the beasts. Maybe my parent strange ways, their rule to keep me in when all I wanted was to be out.. maybe they’d all make sense. Or maybe they’d all be poppycock.  
  
“I suppose, you are right,” Though his words were agreement, the tone of his voice.. I just could not put my finger on it but… maybe freedom was not the first thing on his list of things he wanted.

Maybe I’d learn more about him, about the world and the beasts perhaps, if I kept on visiting him.

So I did, day after day, I’d visit in the morning. I’d always try to ask a question about the beasts, and he’d answer them in a way that might have made sense to him.. but to an outsideer without knowledge.. I hadn’t a clue about what he was talking about.

Even after a month passed, both our crops were green and healthy, I didn’t even know his name. But for some reason, that did not bother me. I called him work, or man.. or even sir. And he’d call me kid, brat, or idiot. They were offensive at first.. but somehow I knew he meant no offence by calling me them. We didn’t need proper names, no.. it was not necessary.

One morning, when I went over to visit work, I was shocked to see him not in the fields.

It was only second nature to think that the beasts got him. The thought made me so upset and angry. Work was my.. he was my friend. And the beasts had gotten my friend.

I searched around the mans farm, in between each field.. I even peeked into every window of his house and knocked on the door several times.. but there was no answer.

There was none for days.

On the seventh day of trying, I finally accepted that the beasts were ruthless and cruel.. that they had taken that man from me.

That man who had served as my.. sense of freedom. My friend whom rolled his eyes at me and called me an idiot for some stupid thing I preached.. some stupid thing my parents taught me.

But the beasts were indeed ruthless, and I somehow started to hate them more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .....
> 
> Hit me up on tumblr: the-kanta


	4. The Stake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this update might be a little late..

My mood had decreased noticeably. I was upset, and angered more easily, it just was not a good time for me. 'Work' had been gone for two weeks, the beasts… those monsters must have taken him. I never stopped waking up in the early hours of the morning, though. As if I was hoping for something to wake up for. 

Mother and father must have caught on to my horrid mood, so they kindly made my workload less, which I was very grateful for. I did not have to go out and continue to work after dinner was served. But, the work somehow put me at ease, it got my mind off of those horrible monsters.

Just laying in my bed until sleep would consume me, made me feel utterly lonely, more so than I have ever felt before. 

That was why, one night before father left to go to town, I snuck out of the house just after dinner.

The sun had set, so the darkness covered me well as I scurried over to the wooden wagon father attached to one of our great horses. We had just recently bought the fella, since we came up with the money finally. It made fathers trips to town much more simple. He could collect more supplies so he did not need to revisit as much as before.

I smiled to myself as I moved the tarp that covered the wagon out of the way, then I climbed in. Father had some portions of food and water in the wagon for when he would stop for a break; he’d only discover me then, when it was too late to go back. I laid against the wood then pulled the section of tarp back over the wagon and I just waited. Father should be out of the house shortly

Maybe ten minutes passed before I heard father's footsteps pass the wagon. I closed my eyes as I heard him mount the horse, and felt the wagon begin to move. The roads were rocky and uneven, I was jostled a bunch as we ran over potholes, but it was fun. I enjoyed the adventure of sneaking away with father, without his knowledge. He definitely would be mad once he found me in the back, but he’d eventually saddle back up and bring me with him.

Hours went by and the jostling of the wagon became lulling. I found myself dozing off, and I eventually fell asleep.

The next time I awoke the sun shone brightly into my right eye, causing me to squint and groan. I hadn't realized that my father's yelling had woken me up. "Eren you imbecile! What the hell are you doing in my wagon, boy! We are in beast territory, do you want to be killed!?"

"Father.. Father please be quiet it's okay.. I just.. I just want to see the outside world..," I yawned after speaking then I pushed myself up into a seated position. Half the tarp was removed from the wagon so I had room.

My gaze went to father, then began to scan the surrounding area. We were right in front of the opening of a forest that looked.. Too perfect to be real. The trees grew in rows, in perfect lines, the branches and leaves trimmed to perfection. What was this place..

"There's no way we can go back now.. Christ Eren.. If I hadn't noticed you sooner you could have been killed..," Father's voice was raw with frustration and anger. "You do not even have a citizenship pass to enter the town.. You must stay here then. They will check the wagon,"

"Oh Father please.. You must let me come with you. All this way for nothing? That's poppycock!" I received a cold warning glare from father, but it did not affect me. I needed to see what it was like out there.."We haven't a choice Eren. You are not a registered citizen. So You will stay here and you will not move. Understood?"

"But-!" Father quickly cut me off, his voice low with anger. "Understood?"

"Yes father..,” And so I was given a pouch of water and a bit of food, then father left me there alone, at the edge of that strangely perfect forest.

Many minutes passed, I was bored and the sounds in the forests were menacing, so I quickly climbed up a tree, the food and water pouch tucked away under my shirt. It was disappointing that father made me stay back before I got to see anything. This place seemed deserted.. Hopefully father would not take long.. I didn’t want to stay the night in an oddly perfect looking tree, all alone with the threat of beasts. If father was here he could have definitely fought them off if they had shown themselves.

It was when I had finally calmed, my shoulders less tense as I relaxed against the wood of the tree, when a voice startled me enough to almost have me jump out of the tree in shock. I was not expecting to be bothered, by what sounded like a woman no less. Perhaps she waa beast, though. That would make plenty of sense. “Hello, young boy! Now what are you doing in that tree?”   
  
The voice definitely came from below me, she must have been standing under the branch I was perched on. Her voice was gentle though.. and kind sounding despite the fact she had to raise her voice for me to hear. “Do you hear me boy? Why don’t you come down from there, you must be lost! You aren’t allowed here on your own!”

“My father told me I mustn’t leave here, ma'am,” I replied casually 

“It is quite illegal to be there. I wouldn’t want to see such a young boy face the penalties. So please come down here and I can escort you to town,” My eyes brightened up at the mention of the town. Well.. if father was not going to allow me to go, I could get her to take me.. “Alright.., I’ll come down,” I called down to the lady, then I began to climb down the tree trunk, until my feet landed square on the ground.

I faced the lady, and I noticed right away she was checking me over with her eyes.. not too subtly anyways. I wondered why. “Did you get injured?” She motioned to my eyepatch. Something inside me told me to simply nod, so I did. “Ah, poor thing. Perhaps it’ll heal in time,”

“Perhaps,” I agreed, my voice weary. The woman looked kind, her eyes were gentle and her smile soft, comforting even. Even the strawberry colour - maybe even a sunset orange hue -of her hair made her look kind and trustworthy. Perhaps if I was dimmer, I would easily have trusted her, but I kept my weariness around her.

“Do you have your citizenship pass, dear?” The lady asked me as we mounted her horse. Ah.. that pass father was talking about, the one I did not have.. “No ma’am. My father has that with him,”

“That’s what I was afraid of.. oh well then, perhaps I can pull a few strings for such a young boy,” The woman then pulled at the reins and the horse went speeding off into the heart of the forest.

WIth awkward arms, I held onto the woman ‘round her waist. We were going so fast that I had to hold on, but she did not seem to mind. “My name is Petra Ral, by the way. What is your name, boy?”

“I’m Eren Jaeger. My father is Grisha Jaeger,”

“Oh, yes, I’ve heard of that man. Though, I never knew he had a son. Which is peculiar," I could only shrug a little to that. “Perhaps he doesn’t talk about me much when he goes to town,”

“Most likely. You own a farm, correct?”

“Yes, it is quite isolated though. It’s very lonely,”

“How peculiar,” Petra sounded a little distant ever since I mentioned my father's name, and it was quite odd. Maybe she had a load of feminine things on her mind- whatever that could be.

It took long for the great horse to reach a gate of sorts, one that was very tall and surrounded by a brick wall. Isolation… was that what this place was? It was isolated from the forest and everything beyond. It was quite the strange looking thing..

“Citizenship pass?” I heard a man with a gruff voice speak quite loudly. Petra seemed to take something out of her breast pocket and handed it to the man, whom looked it over for a few seconds before handing it back to the woman. What a strange ordeal.. “You’re good to go,”

They did not even ask about me, how strange.. or perhaps that was the norm.

“Where is your farm located?” I heard Petra’s soft voice as soon as the horse galloped through the gates and inside a place that looked like nothing I ever saw before. Walls surrounded the place.. it was very strange.. and it was hardly a town, but rather a large village, several of them at that. How would I ever find father.. “Uhm.. I’m not sure how to find it from here. Maybe if we look for farther..,”

“Will do,” The great horse galloped through the bustling streets for what seemed like a very long time, and yet.. father was nowhere to be seen. The town was not what I expected.. I was thinking it would just be a whole market of mini farms all next to each other but this.. it was strange. Houses aligned next to each other, all perfectly similar. Trees grew perfectly, no flower was out of place. It all looked fake, nothing could attain such perfection without manipulation. “Have you seen him, Eren?”  
  
“No ma’am.. which is odd..,”

“It is quite so. Though.. I’m afraid I must go back to work, Could you find your father on your own?” Well, I’d definitely have to if she wasn’t helping anymore.

“Yes ma’am,”

“Good luck then Eren. If you need anything more, visit the gate and ask for me, alright?” I nodded then climbed off of the large horse. As soon as my feet hit the ground, Petra was off, her horse speeding towards the gate. I was all alone.. on such a busy lane.

It was a great adventure though, weaving through all of those people to find my father. It was like a maze.. made up of prissy looking men and women whose noses stuck up in the air. They did look very.. arrogant, I suppose. And their clothing was very extravagant. I was in a different dimension, it seemed.

I couldn’t find my father, though, no matter which lane I looked, his wagon was not to be seen. And it did get frightening after several hours. The sun was setting, the streets beginning to lose all its people until I was alone. I didn’t really know what to do, my feet hurt from walking but I had no place to rest. The sidewalk would have to do.

It was hard and cold, falling asleep was impossible, but I managed it somehow. 

Though, when I woke up, I was startled by the group of men that surrounded me. And the fact that my eyepatch was missing. As soon as my eyes were open, gasps sounded from the quite scary looking men. Their eyes were menacing, the bows in their hands were aimed at my chest. I was done for. 

"Blasphemy," One of the men growled out. He looked so murderous.. I could only hope they'd end me quick. "Two different coloured eyes,"

"He shall be burnt at the stake at noon, for a blasphemed boy cannot live," 

My mouth opened for a few seconds as I tried to get words out into the air, but I couldn't. Blasphemed boy? I was not anything of the sort! How cruel were they to judge, mother and father were right. These were the beasts they spoke so badly about. Cruel and heartless beings that looked like humans..

Two of the men stepped towards me and grabbed my arms in harsh grips, pulling me to my feet. I did not want to comply to these beasts, I did not want to stumble in their grips as they tugged me down the lane, but I hadn't a choice. People parted at the sight of these men, they must have been important.. Or feared. I could believe the latter. 

The looks of pity from the women I passed was what made me feel undoubtedly defeated. They knew what was going to happen even without a notice. It must have happened a lot, that was a sad thought.

When I glanced at a crowd of people, I met gazes with a pair of silver eyes that were narrowed in what seemed to be annoyance. I felt a flame  of hope in my chest ignite for a second, before I was pulled away and our gazes were disconnected. I could only hope that those eyes belonged to my friend who disappeared from his farm.

I had no clue where those men took me, I just knew it was dark and very cold. Also, there was an old lady, who had greeted me with a pitiful look as soon as my eyes adjusted to the dark. "My boy, what has gotten you in here?" Her voice was shaky and sounded very weak. The poor old woman most likely needed some water. "They said I am a blasphemy," 

"What has those men saying such a thing?" She most likely could not see my eyes, because I did look quite normal without them. But.. What really was normal? The word must have a different meaning for each person, because to me, my eyes were normal. But to those men, they were not. So perhaps normal is not a proper word to use. "I have two different coloured eyes, ma'am," 

"God bless you then, karma will come to those who deserve it. Perhaps your karma shall be your savior," The lady was just sputtering nonesene.. Because what she spoke meant nothing to my ears, it was hard to understand.

"Perhaps you as well?" I hoped that was a proper response. But with the way she laughed grimly and shook her head slowly told me it was not. "My time for good karma has come and passed. You see, when you get to be as old as you, you will not be afraid of death. You shall just be waiting for it,"

"I am going to die tomorrow ma'am,"

"I have a feeling that only I shall be burnt at the stake at first light tomorrow," It had me wondering why she was here in the first place though.. How could such a sweet, though maybe a little confusing, old lady be locked up like this? Beasts truly were evil.. "What has you here?"

"I am a woman with only one breast. It was easy to hide it all these years, but the body inspections just started merely a month ago. Every Sunday those men who took you here will go out and search for more faults to condemn. They are awful beings, really," The woman's voice was somber, it really seemed like I was not the only one who hated these beasts.

"So you are not one of these beasts then, ma'am," Through the dark, I saw her head shake slowly. "I am definitely not like those.. Who condemn the innocent. You have a right mind, my boy, to call them beasts; that is just what they are,"

"My mother and father taught me of the beasts, they gave me the knowledge.. I'm glad to be reassured of what they say," 

I spent the whole morning in that cell with the lady.. All until two men opened up the cell with a pair of keys and forcefully dragged the woman away. Even in the darkness of wherever those beasts held me.. I could hear her cries of agony and smelt the disgusting scent of burning flesh. 

It created a coldness in my chest, made my mouth go dry with distaste. I knew what they had done to the woman; burnt her most likely. As they were going to do to me when dawn arrived. But without company, the wait was so much more agonizing.

What I didn't expect, though, was the sound of fingers strumming against the metal bars of the cell late into what I presumed was the night. The sound startled me from my sleep and I sat up slowly. "Who- who's there?" My voice wavered a bit in its whisper, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly afraid.

"Trust me," The words were spoken in a low tone, the man's voice hushed quietly to the point my ears were straining to hear each syllable. "I will get you out of here, in the morning," Before I had the chance to speak up, the presence of another person was gone, and I was left alone wondering if the man- whoever he was- was going to really rescue me from my fiery demise.

The morning must have came sooner than expected, because before I got the chance to fall asleep once more, I was being dragged out of the dark cell with my hands bound together. The metal around my wrists were painful if I tugged on the too hard, so I made sure not to struggle much.

The blazing sun caused my eyes to squeeze shut as soon as I was pulled outside, into what seemed to be a square patch of land that had cobble for flooring. In the middle of the cobble square, there was a large structure made of wood branches that held poles of torches right next to them. The hope that man gave me last night of being rescued was gone as soon as I was tied to the stake, my body bound tightly to the wood.

The words one of those arrogant looking men spoke were nothing but gibberish to me as my gaze stayed on the torch he picked up, the fire burn brightly as if it was just waiting to lick up my skin. The nerves caused my muscles to tense up, the man shouted a final phrase that I managed to comprehend "May all deviations die!" He then threw the torch towards the stake, the flames bursting and popping at my feet as the wood caught flame. 

The fire spread slowly, inching its way towards me, as if the heat of behind near it wasn't torture enough. Just the waiting though of the flames licking my skin caused fear and dread to pool into my stomach.

My eyes closed as I awaited my fate, no other sound but the crackling of the fire reached my ears. When I felt something on my arm, I yelped, thinking it was the flame but to my surprise, it did not hurt. In all of my confusion, I opened my eyes in time to see someone quickly untying me, the fire had almost reached my feet.

The person - a man - had a straw hat tilted on his head, causing shade to rest over his face. I could not see who exactly it was, as he gripped my wrist tightly. The fire had almost surrounded the whole stake, but at the back the fire had not yet reached. It was my lucky break, honestly. The man pulled me away from the burning wood, only managing to catch the bottoms of my trousers and shoes, but I quickly patted the fire out.

I was confused, though, no one was in the square anymore, only a few bodies of men that had red liquid painting their shirts. "What.. Happened?" I managed to pant out as the man pulled me along in a fast sprint, running away from the square. "I saved you, idiot,"

"Yes but.. How?" The man shook his head as we approached one great horse, that was all saddled up and ready. The man climbed ip onto the saddle, which had my eyebrow raised. The horse definitely was much taller than him, it was a wonder how he even got on. 

"Hurry up, get on," I nodded quickly then hurriedly pulled myself up onto the horse behind the man, my arms awkwardly wrapping around his torso. As soon as I was holding on, the man whipped the reins and the horse was speeding off, I had no clue where though. "Sir.. I was wondering.. Do I know you?"

The man clicked his tongue in disapproval. Had I done something wrong? "You're an idiot kid. You trespass on my farm countless amount of times, and you are unable to remember my voice. I am disappointed, really,"

"You mustn't be serious...," It couldn't be 'work'... I would have remembered his voice definitely, even his.. Short structure.. As this man had. "I believe I am quite serious,"

"But.. Work disappeared  a while ago..,"

"And now I am back. Also, don't call me that ridiculous name. I'm Levi," My brows raised a little, was Levi his real name or just another joke? Well.. I should just assume it was real, it sounded so. Perhaps it would be fair if I'd tell him my own.. "Oh alright... Well you can call me Eren then!"

"As you wish, brat,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really proud of this chapter honestly.. it definitely could be much better.
> 
> hmu on my tumblr: the-kanta
> 
> if you have any questions or just wanna talk y'know.


	5. The Desertion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back after a long Hiatus! A short chapter though, sorry >

The fingers pinching my ear were unforgiving, as if they were yearning to rip my poor ear off. It was painful but I did not blame mother, she really had the right to do this. I was surprised even that she hadn't beat me with the wooden spoon as she usually did when she was mad. But it was only ear pinching and yelling for now. "Where in the hell did you say you went?!"

Ah, yes, that man, who's name I learnt was Levi, had rode me back to my farm all the way from that beast filled village. It was kind of him to do so, I really did owe him a lot. "I'm sorry mother.. I really did go to town, I hid away in father's wagon... I don't know where he is now though. I.. Came back without him,"

"Well isn't that just brilliant Eren? Your father must be searching high and low for you, he must be worried sick. Oh when he comes back you won't be hearing the end of this. But for now you better get your behind out in the fields and work as if your life depends on it boy. Maybe then your father will be a little less tense once he's back," And that's just what I did, defying mother would just lead into more trouble that I did not want, so I headed out into the heat and began working in the fields, watering every crop one by one. The process was a long one, since i was doing it alone. I had to fill the watering can up at the well then walk back to the crops, water a few then repeat. My arms and legs were numbs and lost feeling after several hours.

Father did not return by dinner.

He didn't even return a month later.

All the crops started to become flush with vegetation, the corn ready to be picked from its stalk, the strawberries a delicious red. But, the sight that regularly had me feeling accomplished, just left me in a bad mood. Father was gone, he wasn't coming back and I knew that. And I knew mother blamed it all on me.

She looked at me with such disappointment in her eyes, her rules of never going off the property got so lax that even as she was watching I could wander off and she wouldn't care. And that hurt me. My mother no longer cared.

She no longer made dinner for three, rather for one; herself. I didn't know how to cook either so for days on end I ate nothing but sour crab apples from nearby trees. That was until I told Levi about this.

He let out an unimpressed sound once I finished explaining, in great detail too, what was going on. His fingers reached out and plucked a perfect strawberry from its bush and flicked it at me. I rolled my eyes a little, though I ate the berry. It was delicious, and I savoured the flavour since I was not allowed to eat any of my crops. "Your mother sounds pretty awful,"

"She wasn't before. I've disappointed her too much and now she only tolerates me. It's disheartening, but I deserve it," The man let out another unimpressed sound and let his gaze fall on me. His nose was crinkled up a little as the sun got into his eyes, I could tell it was a struggle just to look at me with the sun beaming so brightly behind my back. "Don't be an idiot. You don't deserve this for being a kid, for making a mistake,"

"Perhaps I do deserve it though, with how my eyes are different and all..," The roll of Levi's eyes told me before he opened his mouth that he was going to argue against what I had proposed. "Oh why aren't you just a fucking genious? No. Your eye colour does not define who you are, so quit talking about 'em like they're a bad thing,"

"But Levi, they are a bad thing! They almost got me killed.. Mother and father wouldn't let me out because of them.. I had to hide one from you!" I had lost my eyepatch back in that town, when those men took it from me while I slept.. Ever since I wore nothing to cover up my multicoloured eyes, what was the point anyways? "You didn't need to hide it from me. See, I'm looking at you the same even though your eyes are two different colours. They're your quirk,"

"My ...quirk?"

"Indeed. Now shut up about it and water my damn crops you lazy ass. Also, just before the sun hits the horizon each night you better have your ass inside my house and seated for dinner. I won't let you get malnourished because of some shitty parenting,"

It was a kind thing for the man to do. He really did have a sweet heart beneath that harsh scowl. To be worried about me of all people, to offer open his doors and his corn so I could be healthy.

So I began visiting Levi just before the sunset each night. He kept his door open with a lantern on the side of a wooden porch step. His home was inviting, the smell of dinner filled my nostrils before I even set foot on the porch steps, and when I walked inside the furniture was warm with colour.

I cleared my throat as I awkwardly stood at the front door, and I stayed there until the man walked over and greeted me with a nod and a few words. “Dinners on the table,” Then he lead me to the smooth circular wooden table, where I sat comfortably. There was a lantern standing in the center of the table, surrounded by dishes of mouth watering food. The taste was even better than the smell, my taste buds just could not get enough.

I could even say it was better than mother's cooking.

“You’re really kind, Levi,” I mumbled after swallowing a mouthful of mashed potatoes that were so fluffy and tasty that I probably could have eaten the how lot of it, even the bowl too.

“I suppose,” The man had finished eating much before I, he didn’t seem to eat much either despite how much food he made. Levi just sat with one leg crossed over the other, and his hands joined together on the table. His eyes never left me as I ate, as if he was making sure I did not waste anything. And I really did not, all I took was eaten, and I kept taking until there was none left. “Ah, no leftovers,”

I took a small breath and wiped my mouth with the backside of my hand. “Oh, I’m sorry.. I shouldn’t have eaten all that much.. haha how rude of me..,”

“Don’t be stupid, I made that much for you to eat. Hm.. speaking of which, are you hungry for dessert? I made apple pie,” It was as if I had grown a second stomach because I instantly became hungry again just at the mention of pie. Oh boy I could eat the whole thing.

“I’m more than hungry,"

“That’s the spirit. Now wait here and I’ll get it,”

It really was heavenly, eating the food and desserts Levi made. Every flavour of his exploded on my tongue and I enjoyed it to the point a satisfied moan passed my lips. The apple pie was just so delicious. “I would sell my house for this pie..,”

“Take the leftovers instead of that,” Levi offered up with a seemingly satisfied glint in his eyes.  
  
“I would love to, but my mother.. she would question..,”  
  
“Ah, yes I get it. We’ll have it again tomorrow night for dinner then, sound good?” And before I even had the chance to nod, the man had picked up the plate of leftover pie and hurried away with it.  
  
The rest of the night was short. Levi came back, sat at the table with me and we shared a long silence that I did not know how to fill. So quickly I stood, thanked Levi more times than necessary, and I hurried out of the man’s cozy little house.  
  
At the edge of the wood, before the large rock I used several times to spy on the man, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. As suspected, there Levi was, at his front door watching me with a small smirk pulled at his lip. With only the lantern as a light source next to the man.. it made his eyes glow. Even from the distance I was from him, I saw the gleam in his eyes and it made me shiver with unknowing.   

That was all but forgotten once I got home though, mainly because the front door was locked shut. It was never locked anymore, there was no need for it to be. Had mother gotten paranoid? Had she started to care about my safety once more?

That’d be a miracle if she did. So, I excitedly knocked at the door, and I waited for her to come over and unlock it for me. “Grisha is that- oh… Eren…yes come in,” Of course. She had been hoping for father. When she saw me the hopeful look in her eyes disappeared and I saw that familiar distaste.

“Thank you.,” I mumbled dejectedly as I trudged inside.

I could hear the door shut behind me as I slipped off my unclean shoes, they were in need of some washing if I do say so myself. But I’d have to do that later, perhaps tomorrow, since it was too late for that now.  
  
“Eren, come, we need to talk,” My mother's tired voice sounded in the air and it made me look up quickly. She was standing by the kitchen’s counter, her apron clean, her hair pulled into a neat side pony that laid over one shoulder.

“Yes… mother what’s wrong?” I asked hesitantly as I ventured right into the kitchen with mother. Over the past month.. I hadn’t realised how much deeper the stress marks on her forehead were. Had I been the cause of that?  
  
“I am leaving tomorrow in the morning, far before you’ll wake,” When she said that my heart stopped. Mother was leaving me? She was going to leave me all on my own, but for what reason? “W-Wait.. how come? Mother.. why?” The desperation in my voice and eyes made mother pause, lick her dry lips, then look away. “Mother _please_!”

“I’m going to look for your father, and no you cannot come Eren. Stay here on the farm, take care of the crops and chicken’s. Your father and I will be back soon, I promise,”  
  
“But promises can be broken!” I was feeling overwhelmed now, my palms were wet with nervous sweat and it was so hard to breathe. How was I to deal with mother being gone too? “Please don’t go, father will be back, I know he will!”

“Eren. Listen to me. Do not argue. Go up to bed and get some rest now,”  
  
“But-!”

“ _ **Now**!_ ”

She said it harshly, the one syllable crushed me, left my lungs empty, broke every one of my ribs and left me in deep pain. But I could not argue. So off to my room I went, the pain in my chest never dulling.

I fell asleep on my bed.

I woke up on my bed.

But I was alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmu on my tumblr: the-kanta


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